Skillet Lasagna layers melty cheese, rich sauce, and tender noodles into a sliceable comfort-food centerpiece.
Lasagna, Simplified: A Sliceable Skillet Centerpiece
All the comforting layers of classic lasagna—melty mozzarella, creamy ricotta, and a rich beef-tomato sauce—come together in one oven-safe skillet for fast prep and easy cleanup.
Leo Grant’s skillet lasagna for The Snap Skillet delivers the warm pull of traditional lasagna without the assembly fuss. Instead of long sheets, broken lasagna noodles nestle into a bubbling, beef-forward tomato sauce and set into a sliceable, golden-topped pan of cheesy goodness—perfect for a weeknight when you want comfort without a lot of work.
The method is built for speed: finely chopped onion and garlic get softened in olive oil, then browned ground beef joins crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and a splash of beef broth to create a deep, saucy base. Ricotta is whisked with an egg and half the Parmesan to add a silky, cohesive layer, and short pieces of noodle (about 2–3 inches so they fit neatly in the skillet) absorb the sauce as everything finishes in a hot oven—375°F (190°C)—until the mozzarella is melted and the top is lightly browned.
The textures are where this dish sings: the ricotta mixture gives creamy pockets between strands of tender noodle, the mozzarella stretches and browns, and the Parmesan adds a toasty, savory edge. Garlic and onion lend aromatic lift, while tomato paste concentrates the sauce’s richness so each bite tastes deeply savory rather than watery.
This is a weeknight weapon—about 15 minutes of hands-on prep and roughly 40 minutes to cook—and it’s easy to assemble ahead and bake when you’re ready. Serve slices straight from the skillet with a crisp green salad or crusty bread for mopping up any leftover sauce, and expect tidy leftovers that reheat into the same comforting, sliceable dinner you started with.
Ingredients
How to Make Skillet Lasagna
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic; break the lasagna noodles into roughly 2–3 inch pieces so they will fit in the skillet.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, and half of the grated Parmesan with a pinch of black pepper until smooth; set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a 10–12 inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet, break it up with a spoon, and cook until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes; drain off excess fat if there is more than 1 tablespoon.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and the remaining black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the broken lasagna noodle pieces to the simmering sauce, stirring to submerge them so they absorb liquid; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring once halfway so noodles soften without sticking (add a splash of water or broth if it looks too dry).
- Remove the skillet from the heat and dollop the ricotta mixture in spoonfuls across the top of the noodles and sauce. Scatter the shredded mozzarella and remaining Parmesan evenly over the top.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted, golden at the edges, and the sauce is bubbling.
- Let the skillet lasagna rest 5–10 minutes so it sets slightly, then sprinkle with chopped fresh basil, slice into 4 portions, and serve family-style.
Recipe Card
Skillet Lasagna
Skillet Lasagna layers melty cheese, rich sauce, and tender noodles into a sliceable comfort-food centerpiece.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic; break the lasagna noodles into roughly 2–3 inch pieces so they will fit in the skillet.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, and half of the grated Parmesan with a pinch of black pepper until smooth; set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a 10–12 inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet, break it up with a spoon, and cook until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes; drain off excess fat if there is more than 1 tablespoon.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and the remaining black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the broken lasagna noodle pieces to the simmering sauce, stirring to submerge them so they absorb liquid; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring once halfway so noodles soften without sticking (add a splash of water or broth if it looks too dry).
- Remove the skillet from the heat and dollop the ricotta mixture in spoonfuls across the top of the noodles and sauce. Scatter the shredded mozzarella and remaining Parmesan evenly over the top.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted, golden at the edges, and the sauce is bubbling.
- Let the skillet lasagna rest 5–10 minutes so it sets slightly, then sprinkle with chopped fresh basil, slice into 4 portions, and serve family-style.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 68
- Saturated Fat
- 22
- Sodium
- 1500
- Fiber
- 5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 26
- Protein
- 52
- Fat
- 48
- Cholesterol
- 195
- Trans Fat
- 0.5
- Calories
- 930
- Sugar
- 11